by Logan Jacobs
I knew I needed to do the same, so I blew out the lantern, tried to ignore Madame’s humming, and flopped onto my bed. As soon as I shut my eyes, I felt like I died.
It must’ve been seconds before I felt someone tugging at my arm.
“Wha?” I mumbled as my eyes opened.
“Get cleaned up and moving,” Penny said as she tugged at my arm. “You’re the general today.”
“I just fell asleep,” I mumbled.
“Yeah, nine hours ago,” Penny chuckled. “Now, it’s time to open this theatre.”
“Alright, alright,” I groaned as I stretched and got ready for the long day ahead. First, I took a quick bath to wash the dirt and worry off my body, then I put on my tights and gray cloak, slammed a bowl of oats for breakfast, answered any questions Rindell had, and I was off to my meeting with Wade and the count.
“Today is the day!” the count unleashed an uncharacteristic smile my way from behind his desk. “The performers are as ready as they can be, and the magic is back in the air around here.”
“Good,” Wade said as he gestured for me to sit next to him. “You look rested.”
“I feel like I am,” I said as I took a deep breath. “I’m ready to get the show started.”
“Speaking of starting the show,” Wade said. “That’s what I wanted to start this off by discussing.”
“What exactly?” the count asked.
“We need to announce the whiskey to the crowd within your introduction somehow,” Wade said as he looked to me. “What do you think?”
“I agree.” I nodded. “Or else they’ll be some confused patrons.”
“Okay,” the count agreed. “How should I announce it?”
“Well,” Wade said as he tapped his chin. “Do your usual introduction about the show, then drop in something like, ‘we are now offering the most sought after drink in the realm for only two silver. Catch one of the beauties with the trays to try it for yourselves.’”
“Yeah, and we should have the servers come on stage for a moment during his announcement,” I suggested. “So, the customers know who to look for.”
“Who are the servers?” the count asked.
“The group of girls who came in during practice last night,” I answered.
“Okay,” the count said with a nod, but I could tell he wanted to say more.
“What’s on your mind?” I prodded the entertainer.
“I’m trying to just trust you both,” the count’s forehead started to wrinkle. “I just hope we can trust the servers, too.”
“We can,” Wade replied. “Or else I wouldn’t have brought them in.”
“Good.” The count rubbed his hands. “Then, that works for me.”
“As it should,” Wade added. “Anything else?”
“We just have to move the whiskey into the back hall, and let Dar know he’s in charge of the alert system tonight.”
“I already let him know and showed him how to operate it last night before we went home,” Wade said as his eyes moved to the count and then to me. “It’s still working fine, by the way.”
“Perfect,” the count chuckled. “How’re we moving the whiskey inside? Where are you even keeping it?”
“We’ll figure that out,” Wade said.
We still had to be careful and not let the count know that we were distilling in the stables. Not that we were afraid he’d rat us out, but it’s more so the less he knew, the better, just in case an elf got a hold of him. That was the worst-case scenario, though.
The best option for us was to keep him at a distance until we were ready to take over the theatre completely. We were pretty much at that point already, but still, we needed the count to feel like he had a role since that’s one less job we had to worry about.
“Am I interrupting?” Madame Rindell peeked her head inside the office.
“Who’s this?” the count questioned.
“This is who will be in charge of the servers tonight,” Wade sighed as he gestured for Rindell to come into the office. “Madame Rindell, meet Count Kieran.”
What a combo these two made.
“The pleasure is mine,” Rindell stepped inside the office, offered her hand to the count, and bowed slightly. “Rest assured, the girls are prepared for tonight’s festivities. But we do not know where to go once the show is ready to start.”
“Pardon me,” the count stood from his seat. “I have to run through an act real quick with our opening performer.”
“Of course.” Wade nodded. “We’ll find you if we need you.”
“Very well,” the count dipped down and tilted his top hat toward Rindell.
“Now, what did you need?” Wade turned toward Rindell.
“I informed my girls of all the details you told me about, but they said Cimarra had filled them in already.” Rindell cocked her eye at me. “I don’t want the girls to get an idea I’m working for either of you.”
“Why would they think that?” I asked.
“Because, darlin’,” Rindell said as she narrowed her gray eyes at me. “They told me you want them using their real names, is that true?”
“Of course it is,” I answered. “I’m not about to call another woman, Miss Teacakes, if I need their attention.”
“But that’s what they are used to, dear,” Rindell cleared her throat. “The bottom line is you overstepped your authority last night.”
“Why didn’t you mention this to me at breakfast?” I asked.
“Because Wade wasn’t there, dear,” Rindell smirked as she looked to Wade. “All I ask is that you watch your tone with the girls. Don’t make them feel--”
“Like they exist and have feelings?” I scoffed.
“I hope this doesn’t impede our budding relationship, darlin’,” Rindell pursed her lips. “You don’t know the girls like I do.”
“I’m sure you’re right,” I replied. “But I will call them by their real names, and you can call them whatever you want.”
“Ladies--” Wade cleared his throat. “Cimarra isn’t trying to overstep you, Madame, this isn’t an issue worth talking about right now.”
“I’m not worth discussing?” Rindell cackled. “Why just yesterday, you begged me for our help.”
I clenched my fists and felt my body tense. I almost never got angry.
“Madame …” Wade stood and offered his hand out toward Rindell. “Let’s take a walk.”
“I’d like that very much,” Rindell said as she glanced at me and then smirked at Wade.
This fucking bitch was pushing my buttons.
“Cim,” Wade’s eyes softened as he looked at me. “I know you’ve got a lot to handle. Go do what you need to do.”
“Thank you,” I said as I felt my blood boil in my chest. But before I walked out of the room, I turned toward Rindell again. “I apologize if you felt like I overstepped your authority. I do not wish to do that, but I do have my own way of running things around here and--”
“Wade and I will handle it, dear.” Rindell smiled. “Go do what you need to do.”
I had never wanted to punch someone as bad as I wanted to punch this hag’s painted on face.
Maybe Wade was rubbing off on me?
“Fine,” I said with a deep breath. “I’ll be downstairs near the stage.”
“Perfect,” Wade sighed and then looked at me as if he were apologizing.
I knew he was just playing Rindell how she needed to be played for us to get what we needed. She still thought she had more power over us for the information she knew, and maybe she did, but that would soon fade as time passed.
Everything fades with time.
For the rest of the morning and the late afternoon, I ran through the new routine with the dancers. Whenever my head seemed to be overwhelmed with thoughts, dance was always my release. I think the other girls appreciated seeing me going through it with them even though I wasn’t performing later.
After that, I made sure the whiskey barrels were in the back h
all near the stage and helped direct Skam in moving them into position.
Then I helped a few of the spare dancers assemble the whiskey trays by putting fifteen or twenty empty glasses on a tray.
“Want me to fill up the bottles?” Skam said as he finished rolling in the last barrel and pointed to the empty bottles next to the trays.
“That would be great,” I replied as I took a break from placing the glasses on the trays and saw that we were almost done. “By the way, what time is it?”
“Almost showtime,” the count answered as he walked down the hall toward us. “You should get ready, Cimarra.”
“We can handle doing the rest,” Skam said as he gestured to the two girls and the empty bottles. “You can go on, Miss Cimarra.”
“Whether you like it or not, you are still the face of this place,” the count said as he folded his famous handkerchief and placed it in his suit jacket. He was wearing an all-blue tuxedo with a white top hat.
“Alright,” I breathed. “I’ll go get dressed for the night.”
“Please do,” the count said with a nod. “Meet me backstage just before the show kicks off.”
“I will,” I replied as I moved down the hall and toward the stairs.
I still hadn’t seen Wade since he took off with Rindell, and I hoped everything was okay with that whole situation. As I thought of Rindell, I remembered that I needed to make sure her girls were ready to work, too.
Most of the entertainers should have been backstage getting ready, so I sashayed through the second-story hall, passed the kitchen, and stepped into the dorms.
“Is everyone backstage getting ready?” I asked one of the veteran dancers, Loki, as she searched her cot for something.
“Yep,” Loki replied as she glanced over to me. “Don’t worry, the new gals are down there, too.”
“You read my mind,” I chuckled. “Monitor them for me, as best as you can.”
“I’ll try,” Loki rolled her eyes.
“Thanks,” I said as I waved and then moved on to my room to get changed.
“Hey, I was just headed downstairs,” Penny greeted me as soon as I walked in.
“You look beautiful,” I said as I smiled at the pixie.
She was wearing a form-fitting black dress with an exposed back that featured a lace design on the shoulder. She did have a dancer’s lithe body, though she was a good half a foot shorter than my shortest sister.
“Thanks,” Penny chuckled as she finished brushing her hair. “I stole it.”
“Figured that,” I replied. “I need to hustle and get ready, too.”
“I saw a few people already purchasing tickets before I came up to change,” Penny said with a shrug. “I think your advertising campaign worked.”
“Let’s hope so,” I said as I searched my closet for the blue dress I wanted to wear.
“Anywhere specific you want me tonight?” Penny asked as she looked at herself in the small mirror on the wall.
“I think if you just kind of float around and assist anyone that needs it would be great,” I said as I stopped searching for my dress and faced her. “If there isn’t anything or anyone to help, just stick by Wade since I know you can kick anyone’s ass that gives us trouble, even in a dress like that.”
“That’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me,” Penny said with a slight smirk. “Alright, I’m gonna head down.”
“Okay.” I nodded and then continued to dig through my closet. “See you soon, and Penny …”
“Huh?” Penny stopped just before the door.
“Thank you again,” I breathed. “For everything.”
“Ya need to stop thanking me so much.” Penny blushed as she opened the door. “It’s annoying.”
“Get used to it.” I grinned as the pixie shut the door behind her.
Our relationship had grown a lot over the past few days. I knew it was still a tricky situation between me, her, and Wade, but I felt like we were on the right track at least.
I figured the solution to the problem would be for Wade to just make love to her, but I didn’t quite know how to advise him of that without making it seem like I didn’t want him with me as well. Maybe I just needed to explain that powerful men needed multiple women? I understood the concept, but Wade and Penny might not.
I finally found the blue linen dress, pulled it out, and put it on. I loved this dress because it looked elegant, fit my form perfectly, but it was still comfortable.
Some dresses just sucked the life out of me.
Then I moved over to the mirror and flattened any wrinkles along the sleeves that moved down to my wrists. Then I walked over to the small dresser and pulled out my black opal necklace. It was the only thing I had left to remind me of my mother. I wished she could see me now.
So, I stepped back to the mirror, placed the necklace around my neck, found the latch in the back, and secured it in place. As I did, I could hear the streets below becoming busier. That could only mean more people were purchasing their tickets for the show.
Once I finished getting ready, there was nothing left to do but head down and make sure Rindell’s girls were prepared.
So, I walked out of my room, down the stairs, and back into the backstage hall. I could hear the faint murmur of voices from the auditorium as I moved toward the whiskey barrels.
“There she is,” Tara, aka Miss Coco, said as she and the other girls waited by the barrels. Just to see them gave me a rush of relief.
“You all look beautiful,” I said as I walked up to them.
“As do you, Miss,” the halfie replied.
“Thank you, Tea.” I bowed slightly. “Now, are you ready?”
“I think so,” Tara answered as she glanced around to the other girls. “Madame told us we are to go on stage when the count does.”
“Very good,” I said. “Then you’ll come right back here, grab your trays and head out that door to the auditorium. The next part is simple, you look for any interested takers, take their coin, put it in those pouches, pour them a glass, and repeat.”
All the girls nodded.
“Remember, there is a two glass limit, okay?” I widened my eyes. “That is very important to follow.”
Again, the girls nodded.
“Cimarra!” Wade’s voice called from down the hall near the lobby entrance.
“Wait for your cue from the count, then head onto the stage with him,” I said as I looked to Wade and waved. “I’ll be right over there if you need me.”
Then I walked down the hall and closer to Wade. He was wearing his fancy red and gray tunic with his black trousers.
“You look gorgeous,” Wade said with a grin, and I felt butterflies in my stomach.
I was so in love with this man.
“Thank you,” I said as I took his hand in mine. “You are as handsome as ever. Everything okay?”
“More than okay,” Wade answered. “I wanted you to see something really quick.”
“Oh?” I said as he squeezed my hand.
“Look what you did?” Wade said as he opened the door that led into the lobby area and gestured for me to look.
“You mean, what we did,” I breathed as I saw a packed lobby full of halflings, dwarves, humans, all together under one roof. “Did we sell out?”
“I haven’t checked yet,” Wade smiled wide. “Let’s check out the auditorium.”
“Okay,” I said as I followed Wade into the lobby and then turned into the open wooden archways that led to the seating area. A dull but profound murmur filled the entire place. If it wasn’t sold out, it was pretty damned close, and we still had some time before the curtains rose.
“We did it,” Wade chuckled. “Just think, when the whiskey is announced this place will go crazy.”
“We may have a riot,” I said as I overlooked the growing crowd. “A good riot.”
“I know, can you imagi--” Wade’s excited tone suddenly vanished as if he swallowed it.
“What’s wrong?” I as
ked as I studied his face. His eyes narrowed, and he let go of my hand.
“How?” Wade mumbled. “Does he know?”
“What?” I asked as I touched his fist. “Who?”
“Hebal,” Wade said through a clenched jaw.
“He’s here?” I asked as I tried to follow where Wade was looking.
“No,” Wade breathed. “But his goon is.”
Chapter 8
“Fuck,” I whispered and then turned to Cimarra. “I’m gonna monitor him.”
“Do you think Hebal--”
“I don’t know,” I cut the dancer off. “You don’t have to worry about that, let me handle it.”
“How?” Cimarra’s voice softened as she moved out of the way from a group of halflings trying to find their seats.
“I’ll figure it out,” I said as I gestured toward the lobby. “Right now, you have a show to start.”
“Should we serve the whiskey still?” Cimarra wondered. “The dwarf might be clueless and just wanted to see the show. We could hold off on the whiskey tonight just so we--”
“I know,” I said as I ran a hand through my hair. I knew she was right. The dwarf could simply be out to see a show and not even know that we ran the theatre. But the fact that he was one of Hebal’s soldiers didn’t sit well with me. I didn’t want to tip-toe around that fucker, especially since he was trying to cut us out. “Serve the whiskey. I’ll handle the dwarf.”
“Wade,” Cimarra’s voice sounded as if she said ‘don’t.’
“Everything will be okay,” I reassured the blue-eyed beauty. “Go tell the count to get this show on the road.”
“Alright.” Cimarra nodded, pulled me close, and then kissed me. “Be careful.”
“Always,” I smirked as I tasted her lips on mine. “Now, go and start the show.”
“Okay,” the dancer said as she turned and walked back toward the lobby.
I stayed in the very back of the theatre, moved over to the right side, and kept my eyes on the familiar dwarf. He sat in the middle section and the second to last row on the aisle. He looked to be here alone since a few humans sat down next to him, and dwarves rarely spent time with humans if they didn’t have to.
Fuck, did Hebal send him or not?